This invention relates to a method of and an apparatus for automatically controlling heat-synchronized circulating pumps, which method consists in obtaining the parameters needed for regulation by analyzing the blood pressure and continuously optimizing the timing of the pumping cycle by reference to the data obtained from the pressure analyzer. The system comprises a pumping pulse computer for initial adjustment and a monitoring system for monitoring the functioning of the electrodes on the patient as well as the functioning of the pump.
The clinical employment of heart-synchronized circulating pumps for long periods has demonstrated that the development of an automatic control system is necessary. Only a few research teams have really concerned themselves with the problem (Kane G.R. et al: -- Automatic Control of Intraaortic Balloon Pumping. Trans. Amer. Soc. Artif. Int. Organs, 17, 1971). The advantage of such a control is that the apparatus requires no continuous operating attention. Where it is remembered that mechanical assistance of circulation is continued for up to several weeks, it will be apparent that for organizational and staff reasons uninterrupted supervision, operation and control of the apparatus is quite impossible. This at once gives rise to a problem which the present method and apparatus is designed to solve. Control is effected under the supervision of a monitoring system which prevents malfunctioning of the pump, particularly of the controller. Control by reference to a computer is clinically not acceptable primarily because the computer is more complicated to operate than a conventional machine without regulating control. Control requires the availability of data which characterize the effect of control. One major drawback of existing systems is that control requires the provision of a number of data which it is impossible clinically to provide. Such data are the work done by the heart, the blood flow through the atrio-ventricular valves and atrial pressures, which would be needed as input parameters.